


These Walls Fall Down

by Strength_in_pain



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Andrew is mean, Angry Luke, Broken Luke, Crying Luke, Hurt Luke, Jumps scenes, Luke Hemmings & Ashton Irwin Are Best Friends, Luke accidentally cuts himself, Luke's past haunts him, Mental Breakdown, Mentioned Calum, Michael and Luke are friends, Past Child Abuse, Past Foster Homes, broken home, but if that's triggering don't read, small mention of knife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 12:16:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7934290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strength_in_pain/pseuds/Strength_in_pain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He left this place when he was eight years old swearing he would never return. But here he was, standing in front of the place that started it all. He didn't want to be here, in fact, he wouldn't have come if it hadn't been for his brother's wonderful persuasion. </p><p>Basically, Luke returns to his old house after his father dies and painful memories are brought back to life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Walls Fall Down

Cold air swirled around slapping the already chilled scene with more ice. Dead leaves scattered the ground leaving the trees that once nourished them completely bare like a skeleton. Its been a long time since Luke stepped foot in this town, ten years to be exact. He left this place when he was eight years old swearing he would never return. But here he was, standing in front of the place that started it all. He didn't want to be here, in fact, he wouldn't have come if it hadn't been for his brother's wonderful persuasion.   
Currently, Luke lived in Los Angles with one of his best friends, Michael Clifford; They were both working as actors. Basically, Michael helped Luke land the job. That's not the first thing Michael helped him with. When Michael first found Luke, he was sitting in a jail cell waiting to be picked up by his foster parents. Michael was caught drinking at a party, and Luke apparently ran away again. The two met in that jail cell and they talked for hours. As soon as Luke saw Michael, he knew he was going to like the dark blue haired boy.   
~~~~~~~~~~~  
"What's your name?" The tall, giggly, blue haired boy slurred. Looking the teenager up and down, Luke huffed and turned his head in a different direction. "Mine's Michael." The drunk kid continued, smiling widely at the small blonde sitting with his arms folded over his chest. A clear pout was on his face as he refused to meet Michael's eyes. Michael laughed at the kid's hair, which was quiffed an inch high. The police officers were softly talking in the other room right behind the bars. Crouching down next to the sulking blonde, Michael bopped his nose. "You have a nice nose."   
"Dude, you reek of vodka. Please back away before you get me intoxicated from smelling your breath." Luke waved a hand In front of his nose to wash away the smell. Whoa, michael was not expecting that voice to come from such a short little kid. Well, the boy did look to be about fourteen, but he was small for his age. Michael stared at the boy for a few seconds, taking in his smooth complexion, and thin body which was hidden by a huge black tee and tight black jeans. Michael nearly snorted at the saying on his shirt. 'Destroy yourself and see who gives a fuck.' How could someone that looks so cute and fragile wear something so... punk rockish. His face though, was something else. It was all delicate, from his plump pink lips to his thin cheekbones. And Michael had no idea why this boy was in the jail cell in the first place. "Stop staring at me, your creeping me out!" The blue eyed boy shouted, leaping to his feet. Michael looked down at the kid. "What's your name?"   
"Luke." He rolled his eyes and snapped, "why do you care?"   
"I'm Michael."   
"Yeah. You told me that already. Don't you remember?" Luke paused and gazed into Michael's green eyes. "You don't look like trouble, why are you in here?" Luke asked softly.  
"Drinking at the age of sixteen is apparently illegal. How 'bout you, little Lukey."  
"Don't call me that." Luke muttered cheeks Turing red. "I ran away."   
"From home?"  
"No, from the Park. Yes from home. What are you an idiot."  
"Hey don't sass me, Lucas."  
"The name is Luke."   
"So... Are your parents picking you up?" Michael asked looking to the officers in the front of the room, trying to see around them.  
"Probably not. They hate me so-"  
"Your parents hate you?"  
"Foster parents, but my real parents weren't much better so think whatever helps you sleep at night."   
Michael chuckled at Luke's dry wit. "Where are you going to go?"  
"I'll find a place."  
"You should stay with me and my parents." The offer was sudden but sincere.   
"Michael, I barely know you."  
"Well then, we have a lot of catching up to do, don't we."  
"Your parents will never-"  
"Yes, they will. I'm applying for an acting career. I already have three job offers, so my parents are willing to do whatever I say."   
"I'm guessing that's how you ended up in jail."   
"Holding cell. Not jail, Lukey. Now, tell me something about yourself."  
"It's Luke. Where do you want me to begin."  
"Your life's pretty complicated, huh?"  
"You have no idea."  
"I'm about to find out if you'd spill the beans already."  
"Someone's impatient."   
"Tell me." Michael begged.   
"Tell you what?" Luke asked.  
"Why do your foster parents hate you?"  
"I wish I Knew."   
"When did they start fostering you?"   
Luke sighed and stared at his black vans shoes. "They got me when I was eleven...  
~~~~~~~~~~  
"Let's go Luke." Mrs. Carol, the group home leader pulled him downstairs to his new family.   
"I don't wanna go." Luke screamed, struggling to get out of her iron grip. He was about to slip off his blue jacket and make a run for it when Mrs. Carol turned around and slapped him across the face. "You are going! These people payed good money for you and you are going to show them what a good boy you are. Do you understand me, Lucas!" Tears stung at his eyes. He doesn't know why he was still sensitive to pain after all these years. He should be use to it by now, but somehow it still hurt enough to make him cry. "Yes ma'am." He hiccuped, following her down the stairs to another new family. "Hello, Mr. Hood." The woman who just struck him a few minutes ago, waved happily at him as he boarded the new family's car. A list of questions formed in Luke's mind. 'Ok what's the deal. Are they strict? Do they have a curfew? Are they going to give me a room or am I sleeping on the floor? Are the physical with me when I'm bad, will they beat me? How about food? Will they feed me or do I need to find a way to feed myself.' Luke's thoughts were interrupted by a raven haired boy, with a large nose, and big handsome brown eyes. "Are you listening? I asked if you were excited to play football with me." The tan boy said. Luke paled. "Who are you?" He squeaked.   
"I'm Calum, your new brother."   
"Hi, Calum." Luke said to be polite. Honestly, he felt like throwing up. Usually when families already have a child, their attention is never focused on Luke.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Wow, so you've been in five different homes?" Michael asked, leaning against the jail cell bars. He already called his parents and now the two were waiting to be released. "Yep. If I go to your home, that would make it six homes."   
"What do you mean if? I though you were coming."  
"I still don't think your parents will let me."  
"Luke we talked about this. They'll let you come home, I promise."  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
Michael was right; His parents did accept Luke. Finally, after six years he had a home, And a best friend, and now that he was eighteen he had a job. Everything was finally staring to look up, but of course, Life didn't like that. So Life decided to fuck Luke up and bring his brother back into the picture. Two nights ago, Jack, Luke's brother, showed up at his L.A. House and told him that his father died.   
So here he is, standing on the driveway of his first house where all the pain started ten years ago. It all felt too surreal. His past sprawled out in front of him expecting him to feel some type of warm belonging when in reality, Luke was no longer that same little boy that would smile fondly at his home and run inside with his shirt quiffed blonde hair. No, Luke has changed drastically since he was six years old. The vibrant blonde hair was now flat and darker looking, his attire was black and his figure was broad and thin. No longer did Luke appear to be a scrawny weak child. The dead leaves beneath is feet disintegrated as he walked closer to the past. He really didn't want to be here. The small town was digging up so many old memories that he tried to burn out of his mind. Michael stood next to him, starting at him with a concerned look on his face. Though Michael didn't grow up with Luke, he has also changed from the years when he first found Luke. His hair was thinner, a different color of faded purple. Michael's hair will never be as bright as it once was when he was young and innocent. Jack stood a few feet in front, staring with brooding eyes at the perfect house. Two stories of tan paint on the horizontal wood. White window panes and shutters cover the beautiful glass windows. The red bricks placed on the sidewalk lead a path to the big white door in the center of the house. It was so perfect looking, but Luke knew it was an illusion. The white picket fence, the perfect marriage and kids was all a big illusion which left Luke wondering if any house actually held happiness behind closed doors. Jack slowly made his way up to the door, motioning for Luke to follow. Before Luke knew it he was walking unusually slow, as if his brain had to tell each foot to take a step. Michael trudged along the pavement behind him, until they all reached the door. Another wave of cold air slapped his face.  
"We're just going to search the house for Dad's Will and then get the hell out, ok?" Jack said like its a question, but Luke knew it was the game plan and no matter what he said, they were going in that despicable house. As soon as Luke walked in, a wave of painful memories overwhelmed him. Every inch of that house was the exact same from the time he left it.   
"Wow, I guess some things never do change." Jack confirmed Luke's thoughts. Taking a shuddery breath, Luke closed his eyes. This was a nightmare, not even, this was hell, a hellish nightmare that he wanted to wake up from.   
"You weren't lying when you said you grew up in a big house." Michael noted. The house was indeed Elizabethan, with wooden panels along the corridors, ornate chandeliers, and family paintings lining the walls. The stairs led up into a tall galleried room with a rug spread out over flagstones and a fireplace big enough to park a car in. A long polished wooden table that sat five caught Luke's attention. His mind flashed back to the time he was three years old  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Give it back! Mummy, make him give it back!" Luke screamed in a high pitched voice. "Ben, give your brother his toy back right now." His mother said sternly shooting her eldest son a glare. Ben dropped the stuffed toy on the floor before kicking it to Luke. "Fine." He shrieked. "Take his side, like you always do."   
"I do not always take his side, it's just, you usually always pick on him." His mother, Liz, rubbed her temples, a clear sign of distress and frustration.   
"He's fun to mess with." Ben muttered, giving Luke a shove. Loud menacing footsteps echoed through the small home. "Sit down, boys." Liz said quickly as if an alarm was just set off and Liz was in defensive mode. Each child took a seat around the large dinning room table. "Luke, be quiet tonight, ok honey." His mother warned in a sweet tone. Luke nodded sadly, not wanting a repeat of the night before. Suddenly, the family was met with hard venomous eyes. There was an eerie silence before his mother softly whispered, "Hello, Andrew." The man stomped to the table and forcefully sat down. "Hi Daddy." Luke was exceptionally quiet though dinner that night.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
"You had a wine column with a 96 bottle capacity!" Michael exclaimed checking out the kitchen where Luke grew up. The kitchen was large, like everything in this loathsome house, and it had tan walls and wooden boarders. Luke barely looked in Michael direction. "No way! That's so sick." Michael picked up a wine bottle and read the title. Luke didn't need to see the cabinet to know what Michael was talking about. He remembers very vividly the first time Ashton saw his dad's wine cabinet.   
~~~~~~~~~~~  
Sitting in his room, Five year old Luke was staring out his window. Normally, Luke would stare out at the sky and dream of flying away to an island where he would be happy laying by the ocean just like Scooby doo did when he went to Hawaii. He would stare out the window and hum the music he heard on the radio that day. This was Luke's favorite part of the day. Since Luke was always in his room, he had plenty of time to dream about a new life. He could hear his parents arguing downstairs about Ben's schooling. It seems his parents were always arguing about Ben these days. A part of Luke felt bad for Ben considering it wasn't his fault he received all the attention. He couldn't help it he was born first and Luke was born last. But part of Luke felt a twinge of Jealously towards his older brother. His daddy always cared about Ben's grades, but he didn't care about Luke's gold stars at all. Also, daddy would spend all day teaching Ben about the family business, but Luke had to stay upstairs in his room because he was a distraction. Everyday was the same, Luke would color a picture, show it to Mummy at lunch, then go back to his room and play on his guitar, or daydream. He was only five, but he could play the guitar pretty well considering he had a lot of spare time on his hands. It kinda sucked though, because no one was proud that he taught himself how to play music. They only cared about Ben's accomplishments. One thing was for sure, Luke felt lonely and unimportant. That's the great thing about daydreaming, though. He could be in another family in his mind. Or he could have a ton of best friends in his head. Today started out as a typical day with Luke daydreaming out the window, but something changed. When Luke was staring out the window he noticed something odd. Across the street, Luke spotted a boy about his age playing with a soccer ball. The boy across the street was very intriguing to say the least. The boy's hair was the color of sun-bleached wood. There are some dark streaks for sure but the pale browns dominate, almost pale enough to be blonde. He wears it like a mop, very messy and curly. The boy looks over at Luke askew. His eyes are taking Luke in without moving and Luke knows behind those hazel iris's there are calculations going on. He felt a wave of excitement wash over him as the new kid stared at him. Then something bizarre occurred, the curly boy waved at Luke. Before he could stop himself, Luke waved back, a huge smile plastered on his face. Then something even crazier happened, the boy started walking across the street and over to his doorstep. Oh no. This wasn't good. What if his mum yells at the curly haired boy for interrupting Ben from studying. Bolting down the marble steps, Luke quickly answered the door. "Hi." He said a little too quickly. "Hey. I was wondering if you wanted to play with me? I'm Ashton, your new neighbor."   
"I'm Luke. Sure, let's play. I'll have to ask my mum first, though."   
Luke's mother happily allowed her boy to go over to Ashton's as long as it got Luke out of the house. Ashton took Luke into his room and showed him all of his favorite movies and From that day on Luke had a best friend. 

A week later, Ashton was over at Luke's house because his parents were out of town and Luke's mum promised to watch the curly haired boy. Together, the two kids were raiding the refrigerator. "Left over spaghetti?" Luke asked.   
"Na, I'm not feeling it."  
"Turkey sandwich?"  
"Do you have tuna?"  
"No."  
"Darn. How about PB&J?"   
"Come on, Ash, everybody has that." Luke said pulling out the ingredients. "Luke? What's this?" Ashton pointed to the small cooler at the bottom of the refrigerator.   
"Oh that's nothing important, it's just my daddy's wine cooler."   
"What's a wine cooler?"  
"I dunno. Mummy said I wasn't supposed to touch it."   
"It has drinks in here." Ashton exclaimed pulling out a tall brown bottle.   
Luke gasped, dropping the peanut butter, and pulling Ashton's arm.   
"Don't touch it. We're not allowed." Luke cried.   
"It's just some liquid. Why can't we touch that?"   
"I don't know! But my mum seriously meant business when she told me not to touch the cooler."   
"But, Luke, I don't see what's wrong with touching a couple of drinks. We touch juice boxes all the time."  
Ashton tilted the drink to his lips, but gasped when Luke ripped it away from him. "What are you doing?" Ashton shrieked.  
"What are you doing?" Luke asked. "I told you not to drink it."  
"But-"  
"LUCAS!" A thunderous voice echoed though the kitchen causing the two boys to jump. Feeling his ears turn red, Luke looked at his feet as his father stood in the doorway of the kitchen with an angry expression. "What did I tell you about touching my wine cooler." Mr. Hemming's asked, striding into the kitchen and yanking the wine bottle away from his son's hands. Truthfully, Luke's dad never told him not to drink the wine, his mother did, but not his dad so Luke answered logically.   
"You never told me not to."   
"Excuse me? What did you just say?" Andrew roared.   
"I said, you never told me not to." Luke firmly stated, squaring his small shoulders and looking his father in the eye. At this point, Ashton decided to defend his best friend. "I'm sorry, sir, I was the one-"  
"Don't make excuses for him! I saw Luke holding the bottle with my own eyes."  
"Yes, but sir-"  
"Silence!" Andrew screamed at Ashton causing the young five year old boy to burst into tears.   
"Look what you did." Luke yelled, feeling very brave right then.  
"Don't back talk me, young man. And don't you ever touch my wine cooler again or I will take you out back and punish you accordingly." And by that Andrew meant beat the hell out of Luke with a leather belt.   
"I didn't talk back, and you never told me not to touch the stupid wine cooler." Luke tried, still feeling brave. His father may beat him, but that was normal, and it didn't scare him because he knew it would happen anyway. At least this time he'll have a reason to be beat. "Watch your mouth." Andrew spat striding over to Luke and towering over the small, fragile, child. Currently, Ashton was cried really loudly, fearing what the humongous man might do. "Go to your room." Andrew said, pointing to the stairs. "But Daddy, Ashton's here-"  
Andrew yanked Luke by the shirt and landed a sharp stinging swat to his backside.   
"Go. Smack. To. Smack. Your. Smack. Room." Andrew bellowed. Luke ran up the marble stairs as quickly as humanly possible, and tripped a couple of times, but managed to make it up stairs. Ashton followed his friend into his room. Everything was silent. Then Ashton heard a couple of sniffles coming from the blonde that had his back turned. "Luke..." Ashton spoke, his voice barely audible. His friend don't respond verbally, but he did turn around to look at Ashton his face visible red as a tomato and his eyes watery. "That was so embarrassing." Luke chocked on a suppressed sob.   
"It's ok, Luke. I was scared too. Did you see me crying down there? Now that's embarrassing." Ashton said, wiping his own eyes.   
"I'm so sorry." Luke sniffled sitting on his bed and pulling his stuffed penguin to his chest. "You probably hate me now. I don't blame you."   
"Are you kidding? I don't hate you. It's not your fault your dad was mean."   
And Luke thought about that for a while. He never looked at it like that. But it's true. He never asked for his father to be mean. He didn't ask to be that man's son.   
"So you still like me?"  
"Yeah. You're the bestest friend I've ever had." Ashton said a cheery smile on his beautiful face.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Luke ripped the wine bottle out of Michael's hand in a sudden uncontrollable anger and without a seconds hesitation he shattered the bottle against the ground.   
"Jesus Christ!" Michael leaped back as glass shattered all around their feet. "What the hell, Luke!"  
Luke's anger washed away and remorse followed.   
"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."   
"What going on in here?" Jack asked, walking in the kitchen.   
"Nothing." Luke bit out, the irritation returning. "Did you find the damn Will?"  
"No."  
"Then we better keep looking. The sooner we find it the sooner we can leave."   
Jack went back to searching the livingroom and his fathers office. Luke walked upstairs with Michael following behind. When he made it upstairs, he immediately spotted his oldest brother's room. Ben and Luke had a very difficult relationship. Luke often found himself jealous of Ben and Ben usually picked on Luke multiple times because he envied Luke. His brother's room was always very tidy. Every book was organized in alphabetical order, his navy blue bed was always made, and his room never held any trace of a childhood.  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
Ben slammed his bedroom door. "Get the hell out!" He screamed at the baby blonde who was bouncing on his bed. "No." Luke taunted.   
"I'm warning you, brat, get out of my room now, or I'll put you in the hospital." Ben's face was so serious it made Luke laugh. He could stop what he was doing, but it was much more fun to get the golden boy of the family in trouble. "No thanks, I'm good." Luke said smiling at Ben wickedly. His older brother, who was twice his size, lunged at Luke's waist and tackled him down to the ground in one swift movement. As soon as Luke touched the floor he butted into tears.   
"Shhh" Ben yelled, placing a hand over Luke's mouth. "You're gonna get me in trouble. Don't get me in trouble." Ben shouted continuing to try and cover Luke's face. Of course, his mother came in a few minutes later and threw a fit. Turns out Luke had a broken arm and Ben had a bloody lip after talking to Andrew.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Luke?" Michael's hand waved in front of his face. Luke snapped out of his trance and swatted Michael's hand away.   
"Come on. Let's go." Luke lead Michael down the hall past Jack's room but stopped at his own. Fuck. If he thought he was getting flashbacks before, this was the worst of them all. Every inch of his room held deep, scarring memories that haunted him. His bed for instance, dug up terrified feelings that he had when he was four...  
~~~~~~~~~~  
"YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE! YOU ARROGANT, SON OF A BITCH!" Liz screamed at the top of her lungs, her face bright red and hands pulling her own hair.   
"DON'T YOU DARE BITCH TO ME ABOUT YOUR STUPID FUCKING FEELINGS." Andrew roared.   
"OH I WOULDN'T DREAM OF IT. I KNOW YOU DONT KNOW WHAT FEELINGS ARE ANYWAY. BUT I TOLD YOU TO COME HOME AT-"  
"YOU DONT TELL ME ANYTHING, WOMAN."   
"LISTEN TO ME!" Liz hollered.   
As Luke laid in bed he heard the familiar rumbles of violence coming from the kitchen. His Dad's booming voice seemed to shake the walls. It was quickly echoed by the shrill tones of his mother that electrified the air. Pulling his head under the pillow he prayed for the storm to pass, but it only escalated. When things started breaking and his mother started screaming Luke jumped out of his bed, with penguin safely tucked beneath his arm and ran into Jack's room.   
His brother was shaking under the covers as well. "Jack?" Luke croaked, tears dribbling down his face. "I'm scared." Jack threw back the covers and invited Luke in. The two brothers cuddled one another while listening to their parents argue. "Jack, why do they hate eachother?"   
Jack let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know, Lukey. We could try to be better kids. Maybe that would help." Luke nodded against Jack's chest. "I'll pick up all my toys tomorrow and I'll do extra chores."   
"Sounds good."   
Sharp slaps echoed upstairs, followed by several curses and screams.   
"Make it stop." Luke cried, putting his hands over his ears.  
"I wish I could. I wish to God I could." Jack muttered before kissing Luke's head.   
"Go to sleep, Lukey. It's the only place where things don't seem so bad."   
~~~~~~~~~~~  
Clenching his jaw, Luke stormed into his bedroom and threw the sheets off his bed and punched them repeatedly. Standing up, Luke pulled out a switch blade from his back pocket. Michael was about to intervene, but stopped when he saw Luke slash a giant cut through the wall. Is this what you call a HOME? It read. Luke grunted as he made more slashes with his blade. "This is YOUR fault!" Luke screamed at the wall. "I've spent my whole life trying to forget you! And now... now... I hate you. I will always hate you! You ruined me. You fucking ruined me. You yelled and screamed and you never thought of us! You never thought of me! And now... I'm broken! I'm fucking shattered because of you." The blade accidentally struck Luke's hand and caused his blood to mix with his tears and the peeled wall paper. Luke didn't mind, he welcomed the pain. It felt good. Soon he collapsed on the floor in hysterical crying. Who was he kidding it hurt. It fucking hurt. Throwing his head back in anguish, Luke screamed out. "I hate this" he whimpered, hiccuping and convulsing. "It hurts." He wailed, gripping his stomach with his hand. Stabbing the flor boards a couple of times in random rage, Luke finally threw the knife in the corner of the room and continued to cry. He cried until he could breathe. At one point Luke actually thought he was going to drown in his own tears. Looking over to the corner of the room Luke saw a family portrait.   
~~~~~~~~~~  
"She's gone." Jack said the day Luke's mother decided to leave her family in the past. She took off one night and never came back. The next day, his father had called social services to pick Luke and Jack up. Andrew was planning on keeping Ben to continue the family business and the other two son's were simply too much trouble. He sent Luke and Jack away to a foster home that cold December night. Luke will never forget that day. It changed his life. Honestly, Luke knows he should forgive his father, but he doesn't think he will ever be able to forgive that man. He abandoned Luke. Threw him away like garbage and left him to rot on his own. That was the day Luke promised himself he would never go back to that so called home.   
~~~~~~~~~~~  
Picking up the portrait, Luke threw it to the floor and stepped on it. "I found the Will." Ben shouted from downstairs. Then suddenly and idea came to Luke. He raced downstairs and grabbed his father liquor before running back upstairs and pouring it all over his room. "Luke, what are you doing now?" Michael asked, deeply concerned. He knew about his friend's past and he figured Luke needed to cry it out like he just did, but now Luke was pouring Whiskey and Rum all over his room. Then, Luke struck a match.   
"Oh my God, Luke, don't." Michael said.   
"I have to Michael. I have to burn it down."   
Luke dropped the flame in his room and watched to alcohol catch fire. It was so beautiful. "We above to get out of here." Michael shouted, but Luke stood at the door and grabbed his stuffed penguin off the floor. He stared at the penguin for a while contemplating on what to do.   
"Luke, let's go." Jack urged from downstairs.   
Saying goodbye, Luke kissed the penguin's head, then tossed the only family he ever had into the growing fire. That was it. That was the last reminder of this house. All three boys stood outside the burning house watching the walls fall down.


End file.
